Stop Drinking Soda for Your Oral Health

Living here in the United States, chances are incredibly high that you’ve probably tried a soda at one point or another. Studies have shown that 50-80 percent of adolescents drink a soda a day. In fact, nearly half of all Americans drink soda on a daily basis. What these people don’t realize is that soda is actually very bad for your teeth. Not only does soda damage your teeth through its high sugar level, but it is also made up of acids that eat away at your teeth. Today, Dr. Harry Albers is blogging from Santa Rosa, CA to talk about Soda and why you should consider giving it up.

Avoid Drinking Soda to Save Your Teeth

The first reason for why you should give up soda is because of how much sugar it contains. When you drink soda, this sugar gets stuck to your teeth, which attracts bacteria that takes this sugar and uses it to create acids. These acids then begin attacking your teeth, starting with your enamel and working their way deep down into your teeth, creating a cavity. It is this process that is called tooth decay, and some symptoms of it include chronic bad breath, off color spots on your teeth, and toothaches. What makes tooth decay so dangerous is that it can spread around your mouth, compromising your teeth to the point where they will need to be removed.

The second reason for why you should give up soda is because of the carbonation. It turns out that acids are used to produce carbonation and these acids can have the same effect on your teeth as the acids produced by bacteria. In fact, with every sip of soda you take, a 20-30 minute acid attack occurs on your teeth, attacking your enamel and weakening the ability of your teeth to defend themselves. With weakened enamel, it is much easier for tooth decay to get to your teeth and damage them further.

There are ways to still partake in soda without harming your teeth as much. For instance, it is highly recommended that you drink soda with a straw. By drinking with a straw, you are not directly saturating your teeth with soda. It is also heavily advised that you drink your soda quickly. Taking a sip or two every thirty minutes or so is only exposing your teeth to another acid attack instead of just the one. Drinking water directly after your soda can also wash the sugary treat off of your teeth, preventing some of the damage.

Call and Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Albers

As you can see, the damage soda is capable of inflicting on your teeth simply doesn’t make the taste worth it. By giving it up, or even simply cutting back, you can keep your teeth in better shape, preventing missing teeth and the conditions that cause them. If you would like to learn more about the corrosive effects of soda on your teeth, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Harry Albers, today.